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Alaska Dispatch Senatorial Debate (Live Stream & Blog)

McAdams and Murkowski are on stage. There’s a giant beardless empty chair right in the middle. Can’t imagine why… But they saved a chair… how sweet.

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Comments
127 Responses to “Alaska Dispatch Senatorial Debate (Live Stream & Blog)”
  1. Pamy says:

    Anybody know where I can watch this? I missed it last night. Thanks in advance.

  2. Cammie says:

    Thanks all for blogging this. Anyone know if a transcript of the full debate will be available?

  3. Califpat says:

    As Teflon!!! Yuk!!!

  4. Blooper says:

    What’s up with Lisa’s non-answer when asked who she would vote for if she had to pick between Miller and McAdams. Granted, I know it is hard to say you’d vote for one of your opponents but she couldn’t even bring herself to say she’d vote for McAdams. I guess she would forfeit her right to vote and not make a choice at all. Or she’d (gasp) write in herself, lol.

    McAdams said he would vote for her over Miller. I know that must have been tough for him to say but at least he gave a solid answer and not some non-answer.

    • slipstream says:

      You’re right, Blooper, Murkowski dodged that question. Her non-answer was that Miller is too scary and McAdams isn’t qualified. Actually, she dodged a lot of questions. She is slippery.

  5. Califpat says:

    Thanks Slip for the boots on the ground report. We were waiting with fingers in mouth biting our nails!! Thanks for taking one for the team!!! Also, you are right about Miller! He is an Almond Joy not a Mounds!!

    • Crunk Petrol says:

      Califpat:

      I agree he is an Almond Joy. Do you remember the jingle “With Almond Joy, you can share half and still have a whole”. Definitely the way Repugs handle the budget!

  6. slipstream says:

    Interesting op-ed piece in the Anchorage Daily News:

    Joe Miller’s just another nut from Fairbanks

    http://www.adn.com/2010/10/18/1507917/joe-millers-just-another-nut-from.html

    • Blooper says:

      I heard there were Joe Miller protesters out in front of the Anchorage Daily News headquarters. Not sure if this is verified fact or just rumor, but thought I’d toss it out here.

      • Blooper says:

        Oh and I almost couldn’t believe the title of that op-ed piece! Not because it’s not true (it is) but that it veers from the normally objective titles that grace their front page. I never thought the adn would print something so true, yet so obviously incendiary to the nut job Miller supporters. Truly a bold move by them and I for one am so glad they did it.

  7. slipstream says:

    Second attempt at my “boots on the ground report” – I was actually wearing sneakers.

    Okay, I was in the room for the debate. I will attempt to write impressions of what I saw and heard that probably weren’t apparent on the audio / video feed . . .

    Neither Murkowski nor McAdams had security goons. McAdams was far better at getting all around the room (before, after, during breaks) and shaking hands with everyone there. Murkowski tended to huddle with advisors or tape an interview during breaks.

    Murkowski’s supporters were more organized – buttons, applause at obvious “applause” lines, etc. McAdams’ supporters were more quiet. It felt like a 50/50 split. Didn’t see a single Miller button.

    Murkowski is more skilled at dodging questions she didn’t like – she would chatter away, and you had to stop and ask “did she actually answer the question? No, she didn’t.” McAdams was not as smooth at this. Miller has it mastered – just don’t show up. Or handcuff the reporter.

    McAdams is funnier. But he missed the chance to say “the thing I most appreciate about Sarah Palin is that she is no longer the governor of Alaska.”

    In the room: Shannyn Moore, Phil Munger, Bob Poe, and I think I saw Gryphen (I’m not sure about that). I was able to shake the hand of Tony Hopfinger – he who kept after Miller about misconduct in Fairbanks and got himself handcuffed by skinhead goons.

  8. Califpat says:

    Oh, No!! Slip!!!!

  9. Bretta says:

    Sidebar: http://www.adn.com/2010/10/18/1507733/miller-admits-borough-disciplined.html

    Miller admits borough disciplined him

    LUNCH HOUR: Polling performed on co-workers’ computers; then their caches emptied to hide act.

    By SEAN COCKERHAM [email protected]
    Published: October 18th, 2010 09:53 PM Last Modified: October 18th, 2010 10:17 PM

    Republican U.S. Senate nominee Joe Miller acknowledged Monday that he was disciplined for violating the Fairbanks North Star Borough’s ethics policy in 2008 when he was a part-time borough lawyer.

  10. slipstream says:

    Okay, I am back home and submitted a long report . . . which apparently disappeared into the Great Electronic Void. Wish I had saved a copy . ..

    • beth says:

      [[I feel your pain, {{{{{{slipstream}}}}}}} … beth.]]

    • Kath the Scrappy says:

      Oh NOOOO! I’m so sorry, that’s beyond frustrating!

      I’ve gotten to the point where, if it’s important, I type an email to myself drafting/writing the document. Then I copy&paste, but still have the original email which is easily deleted after I see my post ‘took’.

      Really appreciate your hard work and hope to see you’re In-Person perspective of how it went and how the crowd received it all!!!

  11. slipstream says:

    Okay, I got home a few minutes ago. I was in the room for the debate. I will try to give impressions of what I experienced by being there — what the cameras and microphones probably missed.

    Neither McAdams nor Murkowski came with a security detail. McAdams was far better about getting around the room during the breaks and meeting everyone there; Murkowski tended to huddle with advisors or tape interviews during those times. Murkowski’s supporters were more aggressive about wearing buttons and applauding at the obvious “applaud” lines. McAdams’ supporters were quieter. Didn’t see a single “Miller” button. Or Miller, the big chicken.

    When Murkowski got a question she did not want to answer, she talked all around it — you had to stop and think “hey, she never answered the question.” McAdams was not smooth at that.

    In the audience: Shannyn Moore, Phil Munger, Bob Poe. Thought I saw Griffen but not sure. I was able to shake the hand of Tony Hopfinger, he of the recent handcuffs.

    • dreamgirl says:

      Thanks for your mini re-cap. I would’ve liked to shake Tony’s hand if I coulda been there . I think he should definately pursue civil charges against Miller and his hired Goon Squad and/or even criminal charges for unlawful imprisonment, harassment, impersonating law officials(?), kidnapping?

      I mean for crying out loud it was a Townhall Meeting! That definition alone screams PUBLIC event. I’m still steaming mad…

  12. Blooper says:

    Scott just keeps hitting it out of the park! Lisa just keeps spouting the whole ‘you won’t be anything without me’ line of thinking which is rather insulting. She is appealing to our latent sense of fear, just like Joe Miller. Repubs and Tea Baggers like to do that, because 1) It’s easy and 2) They really don’t have anything else better to bring to the table. Scott goes the hard path by trying to appeal to our sense of hope which is much less effective at time but is the truer route IMO.

    Like others here have said, we do have a great candidate in Scott McAdams and have no reason to fear voting for him.

  13. Kath the Scrappy says:

    Wow, that was pure fun to watch. Not sure why but, I was able to watch/hear pretty good, but I started about 20mins late. After all my ActBlue donations, I finally & totally felt like a ‘participant’. The only thing missing was a glass of beer in my hand.

    Booming over the mic “So, WHO would you vote for Lisa?” SM is clearly a kind and decent man with a sense of humor. Personally, I thought Scott dominated the debate.

    Surprisingly, I checked the ActBlue donors just before watching (I have the tab and check occasionally) and then checked again right after. During the debate time, SM had lobbed yet another 60+ donors. I do think the McMentum is building, getting faster by the day (or Miller meltdown shenanigans). Thanks everyone for the postings, great job all around.

  14. Sourdough Mullet says:

    After watching the debates, I have to say that I believe Lisa has a point when she says she would be more effective in Washington. But then I asked myself: “More effective at WHAT?” And the answer is very concerning to me.
    Lisa would be effective at blocking healthcare reform, she would be effective in gutting environmental safeguards, she would be Very effective at taking donations from large corporations and then being beholden to their lobbyists to vote in favor of those corporations interests, against her constituents’ best interests (Citizens United was great by her!).
    Lisa would be effective in bolstering the power of the religious right (she has Prevo’s support and is therefore beholden to him). She’d continue to do a bang-up job of undermining the rights of women, gays, and those who want a clear division of church and state. She would continue to do what she has done consistently for the past two years, which is to lock arms with the “Party of No” and help ensure that all the needed economic reform, regulatory reform, healthcare reform, and betterment of this country that we voted for in 2008 will be blockaded. Lisa will vote lock-step with the obstructionist conservative Republicans to ensure that the Democrats will not be able to claim victory in any arena. And all this obstruction is for the goal of returning the Republicans to power so they can continue the pro-corporate, anti-democracy policies that got this country into the mess we are in now.
    Sorry, Lisa. I don’t think so.

  15. Califpat says:

    Yes!!!!!!!!!!

  16. TheRubberRoomHotel says:

    IMO Scott won the debate hands down.

  17. Wow! Scott is so impressive! He has well thought out answers that go way beyond what any other candidate is saying now or has said in the past. He will be great in the senate!

  18. Moose Pucky says:

    Two weeks left to bring this on home, folks. Here’s to the McSurge!

  19. Zyxomma says:

    Wish I’d heard the whole thing. Maybe the Dispatch will re-run it?

    • Alaska Pi says:

      Hopefully they will post it in full- will have to watch for it.
      And yes- Firecracker, voting my values !!!

  20. Firecracker says:

    I missed most of the first part from what I saw I think it was a strong showing for Scott. Vote your values and not your fears!!

  21. sudsy says:

    An excellent debate. This is the sort of debate we should have had all along except for the outside interferences that do not want to see Alaska function autonomously as is its state right to do. Thank God what’s-his-name didn’t even show up. Perfect!

  22. blue_in_AK says:

    Scott was outstanding. That was a great debate format and much more revealing than the usual. I loved it.

  23. Moose Pucky says:

    Rather have Begich as Alaska’s Senior Senator, thank you.

  24. Alaska Pi says:

    shaking hands over the empty Joe chair
    is over

  25. Moose Pucky says:

    Scott McAdams is having a lot of fun with this race. Lisa is running terrified. I’m confident Scott McAdams is going to be a great Senator for Alaska and the country.

    • fishingmamma says:

      You just put into words what was at the back of my mind listening to this. Scott was interested in running initially so he could engage Lisa in a conversation about the issues. He was doing just that tonight, and she did not like it one bit.

    • Cammie says:

      I think he would be, too. He does have a quick wit, which is a sign of a deeply intuitive mind. I believe he would work very well with his fellow Senators to get some things actually moving forward in this country again.

  26. Zyxomma says:

    Lease-A bashing Joe for not showing up for the “job interview.” She thinks Scott as a junior member is too inexperienced. “We’ve got to think about what that means for us as a state.” Lease-A defending her write in. Spelling her name.

    Scott: I can share with you that the time I’ve spent with my community for 8 years was well spent. Voting against the chairman of the appropriations committee 12 times is dangerous for the state. Wants to open ANWR. He has something to prove. Wants union labor to drill ANWR. Vote your values, not your fears.

    • Alaska Pi says:

      THANK YOU! you type fast and well and even hear and breathe all at once!
      I’m at the age where maintaning a heartbeat and breathing is multitasking- great live blog job!

      • Zyxomma says:

        Alaska Pi, you’re welcome! Wish I’d heard the whole thing, and am hoping for a rebroadcast. I do type well, and fast; I used to be a computer typesetter. Of course, I couldn’t get it word for word, but hope I hit all the salient points.

        • Alaska Pi says:

          Wish I’d thought to open both windows at once because of sound.Missed most of 1st half cuz of sound.
          You hit a most of the points beautifully
          good job!
          slipstream is due to give us all a rundown as was supposed to be there tonight so we’ll hear more… even if it’s not rebroadcast…
          and thinking AKM might have been there too…
          maybe
          probably

  27. Alaska Pi says:

    GO Scott!!!!
    Saying the same old way has not gotten us what we wanted anyway- heehee

  28. Alaska Pi says:

    SM thanking everyone – he sure does that a lot

  29. Firecracker says:

    I just feel that LM has nothing more to offer than her ‘experience’ and I really don’t think that is enough given her throwing AK aside in order to walk lock step with the Party of NO

  30. Moose Pucky says:

    Why would any progressive Alaskan risk their vote on a murky write-in when such an outstanding candidate is right there on the ballot??

  31. Alaska Pi says:

    LM final remarks playing same old violin about seniority is what we have to have and she’s the one who has the experience

  32. Carol says:

    Excellent debate so far. Without Miller, the whole thing now seems far more serious and adult and concerned about what Alaskans really care about.

  33. Zyxomma says:

    Scott: God is too good for the muck of politics. Lease-A, lifelong Catholic, believes religion is part of who you are and is the basis of some of your thought processes. Closing remarks next.

  34. beth says:

    “G-d is too good for the muck of politics” – McAdams. LOVE IT! beth.

  35. Moose Pucky says:

    Thanks, folks.

  36. Zyxomma says:

    Scott would vote for approval of civil unions in all 50 states.

  37. Zyxomma says:

    Lease-A admitted voting for the Defense of Marriage Act.

  38. Zyxomma says:

    Scott: I believe that we will be known as Christians by our love. Both disagree w/Prevo.

  39. Zyxomma says:

    Scott would refuse corporate PAC money as a senator.

  40. Zyxomma says:

    SM: It’s time to return our democracy to working people. He’s talking about loss of unions.

  41. Zyxomma says:

    Scott thinks campaign donation reform is #1 issue.

  42. Zyxomma says:

    Lease-A luvs her Big Coal donations.

  43. Alaska Pi says:

    ( if she says ‘what you need to understand… ” one more time I’ll scram… )

  44. Zyxomma says:

    End of audience questions. Lease-A opposed Kagen re guns. Scott has 100% NRA rating.

  45. Zyxomma says:

    Scott: biggest mistake as Sitka mayor sponsoring clean indoor air act.

  46. Zyxomma says:

    Lease-A trying to defend her primary. Failing.

  47. Zyxomma says:

    Lease-A boasting about her record on Natives. Scott: we have to do everything we can; tribes are underutilized in developing Alaska; tribes should be self-determining. AK’s tribes need to be acknowledged as sovereign.

  48. Alaska Pi says:

    (Tribal law and order act has an inserted line re AK- LM had something to do with that… and she knows we only have one reservation…)

  49. Zyxomma says:

    Scott “loves our tourism sector.” Lease-A thinks the cruise industry is crucial.

  50. Zyxomma says:

    LM: $P is a runner, advanced some ethics reform, and loves the outdoors. Scott appreciates “She’ll never refudiate Alaska’s right to develop resources, & can’t come up with anything else but “there’s something beautiful about every human individual.”

  51. beth says:

    [paraphrasing a bit: “Abortion is a medical issue — it’s between a woman and her doctor. If a woman qualifies for funding for a broken leg or cancer, she should qualify for funding for an abortion…no matter what the funding source is.”]

    • beth says:

      Don’t know how this #35 ended up here — it should have been a 30.point-something as a reply to *that* post (#30) of mine. beth.

  52. Alaska Pi says:

    ROFL SP- Question!!!!

  53. frsbdg says:

    Now that Miller is imploding in spectacular fashion, we need to get Dems and Independents to come back to Scott McAdams. There’s no reason for anyone who voted for Begich two years ago to cast their vote for Lisa. If you like this video, please share it with any of your friends who are suffering from MDS (Miller Derangement Syndrome).

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7HsP7oanzo

    • Kath the Scrappy says:

      Hey that was SUPER EXCELLENT! Needs to go viral!!!

    • jojobo1 says:

      Ya know I know how to spell Lisa’s name but after watching that video I had to think about three times about the correct spelling. I have to tell ya Shannyn’s tweet on twitter made my day when she said someone ask Scott to name something good about palin and he said he was stumped.I said the same thing when asked.

  54. Zyxomma says:

    Scott does not believe the state has any right over the sovereignty of an individual in the bedroom. LM said basically the same.

  55. Zyxomma says:

    SM said faith and evolution are NOT mutually exclusive. Lease-A will not force taxpayer dollars to fund abortion; said abortion should be used for rape, incest, impending death of the mother.

  56. beth says:

    NAILED it on the abortion question, Scott! WOW! beth.

  57. Pinwheel says:

    Sound quality is not the best. However, I think this has been a very good, and respectful discussion. Scott has tried to get Lisa to explain her “no” votes, she seems to slide, trying for cover in procedural votes, committee votes, collaboration with Stevens. What she is saying does not jive with the “Lisa Votes” list.

    Scott has tried valiantly to distinguish between the ANCs and the Tribes. Got a great dig on Clare MacAskill (sp?). Lisa will not talk about Tribes. Then she said something about not consolidating villages but perhaps only maintain one runway among a nest of villages, and build roads from hubs.

    It’s been a good production.

  58. Alaska Pi says:

    somebody pickup? i can only type 11wpm without punc and 7 with

    do you believe in evolution ? both yes, SM says faith and eveolution are mutually exclusive

  59. Alaska Pi says:

    who would you vote if you were not in the race? LM- concerned about JM and don’t think SM has experience or ability to do it
    SM- if had to choose LM and Joe, etc, I’d vote for lisa

  60. Alaska Pi says:

    what have you done in office for ak?
    LM- too fast for me- inc DV
    SM- sitka mayor, voted for DV prevention programs

  61. Alaska Pi says:

    both are saying they are winning

  62. Alaska Pi says:

    -would one of you drop out if it looked like the only way to keep JM out?

    • Firecracker says:

      Both said no as far as I’m concerned.

    • Cammie says:

      That’s a good question! If it really looked like a surefire way to keep Joe Miller out, I think I would do it, for the sake of my state. However, at this point I don’t think neither McAdams or Murkowski need to drop out to keep Miller from getting in.

  63. Alaska Pi says:

    yes- great on the JM slam1
    which salmon would you be? both kings

  64. Firecracker says:

    Good slam on Joe by Lisa. She doesn’t want to take his chair in case he decides to show up (apparently someone took her chair during the break) : )

  65. Califpat says:

    Waiting patiently for Slipstream’s boots on the ground report!!!

  66. Madeline says:

    Lisa’s ad out today is attacking Scott, apparently he is the man to beat! She has completely ignored him up till now, I guess Miller is TOAST!

  67. ks sunflower says:

    Go McAdams!

    Joe is a jerk.

    Lisa is a corporate shill.

    Just got back from an AARP-backed focus group. It is very worried about how seniors are perceiving the possible cuts to doctors in December and wanted feedback as to what AARP members think and expect the organization to do. Consensus: we have to get more information. We believed Congress will be too cowardly to make the cuts and will postpone once again so AARP would be seen as successful if it backed a short-term solution and then backed a long-term revamp of how doctors are paid. Wish I could stay up and hear more from the debate. I would not trust Lisa or Joe to come up with any viable solution to the doctor payment problem. Just saying.

    McAdams seems to be doing well – just showing up puts him way ahead of Joe. People need to remember Lisa will follow the Party of No as she has been doing and take that into consideration. Anything she says about change is probably pandering.

    Good night all. Am looking forward to the follow-up discussion tomorrow!

  68. Alaska Pi says:

    audience questions coming up…
    have just lost sound too often to keep the sense of what they are saying…

  69. Alaska Pi says:

    lost sound again

  70. Alaska Pi says:

    MUYS just flew by…
    SM- appropriations committee culture changed

    LM- is about being fiscally responsible

  71. suz1941 says:

    Well, well, well, Queen Palin’s anointed King Joe has no clothes! He also has no “cajones” and he certainly doesn’t know how to “man-up”. Where’s the spine? Pathetic. Two adults and one loser, who is in debt up to his ears, running for the senate in Alaska.

    • Sue says:

      Maybe he couldn’t find his man pants or had previous commitment to attend a bake-off.

  72. Alaska Pi says:

    lost sound again… anyone getting it?

    • Firecracker says:

      Not the best quality but I haven’t lost it yet. I do have to admit that I have it open in on the Alaska Dispatch website and not on Mudflats. I found the video feed on that website first. I don’t know if that matters or not. I am also using Mozilla and not IE.

      • Zyxomma says:

        Thanks, Firecracker. I got the sound on Alaska Dispatch, and while not first-rate, it’s listenable. They’re taking an intermission, so I hope someone has an update on the first section. Anyone?

      • Alaska Pi says:

        Got em both open now… will see if sound is better after break… missed too much in first part

  73. Alaska Pi says:

    SM ask LM- seniors and their docs- medicare accessibility bad here, her vote made that worse
    LM_ says she bucked her party to add reimburse % to docs for alaska . got it in. stopped bleeding some- docs not kicking medicare patients off

    • LoveMydogs says:

      I have a friend in Anchorage who just bought a building for his business. he is renting out the top floor to a group of doctors who are going to take Medicare Only patients. They got some kind of a grant (can’t remember if it is state or federal but may have been from stimulus money–not sure on this) so that they can set up shop. They will have their own radiology, lab, etc. It sounds like an excellent idea and perhaps needs to be copied elsewhere. These are the kinds of solutions to medical system problems that need to be pursued by people with imagination. I am so sick of Leasa’s pandering when she needs us. She rolled the bus over us again and again when she didn’t think she needed us. Too late Leasa.

  74. Zyxomma says:

    I can’t hear the feed; it sounds like it’s being disrupted by CB radios!! I’ll check back later for an update. Miller’s a coward, like all bullies everywhere.

  75. Alaska Pi says:

    LM- history,,,
    hickel, came in 30th of oct
    taylor
    thinks they are doing it
    the write in thingy
    demonstrating we can do it

  76. Alaska Pi says:

    SM- pointing to him only needing 1 vote more than either to win , she needs enough to stand up to scrutiny …
    lindauer, taylor…
    misspelled taylor
    stakes too high

  77. Alaska Pi says:

    LM- asking about why he’s saying write in won’t work- details of why- instead of issues who are the 7000 ak voters who are going to botch the vote to win?

  78. Alaska Pi says:

    the business model of corps means they have no more responsibility to shareholders than Wal-Mart to theirs…
    YOU ARE SO RIGHT SM!
    wants focus to be on tribes not for profit corps…
    lost the sound…
    sounds like he was addressing something to do with *(a) ?
    anybody hear?

  79. Alaska Pi says:

    SM-talking about tribes v for profit native corporations

  80. Moose Pucky says:

    There are clear differences between Lisa’s votes and Scott’s vision for Alaska’s future. Hope this is evident in the debate tonight.

  81. nswfm says:

    What a big scaredy baby, couldn’t show up to a debate after his last pissy event.

    Hope this is the nail in HIS political career coffin and the media nails him for all his bad behavior.

  82. Moose Pucky says:

    Here, ready to read live blog. Thanks all.

  83. AKMuckraker says:

    Not that I know of…

  84. Patak says:

    Terrible sound quality. Is this being broadcast on radio somewhere?

  85. Cassie Jeep says:

    Not for nothing, but a better man would have shown up and made an adult apology. Bad on Joe the Jackboot.

    Lisa should be attacking Joe, not Scott.

    Go McAdams!